tensions are already sky high. i've been speaking with a man i'm sure you know well, jim, he was unjustly prisoned in iran for 544 days, was an american iranian journalist and said on this, quote, it appears to be the most audacious hostage taking by a state imaginable. i think his position is pretty clear on this. >> right. >> reporter: perhaps not a coincidence this situation has transpired. >> yeah, it seems like a very minor offense to hold a professional basketball player, a basketball star here in the u.s., in what seems like an indefinite fashion. again, the russians are just up to their old tricks. and let me ask you about the english premier league. they've been showing solidarity with ukraine this past weekend. and i've been moved by this. we've been seeing this over the last several days, haven't we, since all of this started.